Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the parent company of Scotts Fertilizer, offers many different kinds of fertilizer with different formulas that are catered to many different kinds of lawns. When you are looking for what kind of fertilizer you will need for your lawn, keep in mind that you may in fact need more than one formula, depending on the time of year and where you live. Somebody who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona will not need the same kinds of fertilizer for their lawn as someone from Duluth, Minnesota.

Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Fertilizer with 2% Iron is a popular choice among many lawn care hobbyists because of its universal formula that can be applied to any kind of grass. However there are also specialty blends that are formulated for specific types of grass in different parts of the country. For instance, Scotts Southern Turf Builder with 2% Iron is formulated specifically for southern regions, which are more susceptible to intense heat and long dry periods.

While Scotts offers many different kinds of fertilizer for just about every need (at least thirteen), if you want the best looking lawn you're going to want to look at a combination of different fertilizer formulas. Scotts themselves suggests you fertilize your lawns using a four-part schedule. In the early part of spring, apply a typical fertilizer. If you have children, use Scotts Organic Choice, that way the kids can run out and play as soon as the fertilizer has been laid on the grass without risk. In June, apply a fertilizer with Weed Control to keep any weeds that may be growing at bay. In late-July, early-August you will want to apply Scotts Lawn Pro Super Turf Builder with Summerguard to protect your lawn against the intense strain from the heat, as well as helping your lawn stay healthy during the drought months. Finally, apply a fertilizer with a winter formula near the end of the lawn mowing season to prepare your lawn for the winter months ahead.

From organic-based eco friendly, to strengthening the roots to help your grass suck in every nutrient it needs to give it that healthy, green appearance, Scotts has a formulated fertilizer for your needs.

Learn more about lawn maintenance and organic lawn care at: http://www.bladeslawncare.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Blades

The facade of a lawn is a reflection of a home that is well taken care of. Who would not be proud living in the midst of regularly pruned shrubs, colorful flowers, and other healthy plants?

A weed-free lawn with luxuriant greens is a winning factor for the lawn owner as well as for his neighbors. This is possible with the introduction of organic lawn care.

Today, you have to be thankful for the discovery of organic lawn care for your yard. For one, it is environment-friendly and therefore safe for human use. Many benefits can be derived with the application of organic lawn care through several implementing guidelines.

Organic Lawn Care: What Do We Get From It?

The benefits from organic lawn care can be succinctly summed up into two phrases – environmental protection and human safety.

Time and again, it has been proven that for an action done, there is a corresponding "payback". Nature works with this cause-and-effect concept. With the advancement in technology, lawn products promising a faster growth rate for your lawn have come out in the market.

There are also chemical-based herbicides for weed control. These products, however, are not environment-friendly and hence, not safe for humans. They may be able to seep into the water supply and cause massive damage to plant and animal life. It is for this reason that organic lawn care has emerged to provide a balance in our ecosystem.

Individuals have their roles to play in preserving the environment, and at the same time look after the welfare of their loved ones as well as their pets. Inorganic lawn products are made of harsh, toxic chemicals which are harmful to nature and humans as well. They may cause extensive damage when swallowed, inhaled, or even touched.

Organic Lawn Care: Implementing Guidelines

The prescribed height of grass to be mowed is an important factor in organic lawn care. Isn’t a thick lawn what everybody desires? To achieve this, the cutting level of the lawn mower’s blades should be adjusted to the highest setting.

Following the above will enable the grass to grow quickly because most of the surface is exposed to the sun. This makes photosynthesis, or the processing of plant food, easy. The grass blades and roots that are eventually produced are stronger, having been able to absorb nutrients from the soil.

Organic lawn care suggests the use of sharp lawn mower blades. Dull blades damage the grass rather than cut it. They tend to make the grass vulnerable to disease and may also contribute to water loss.

When mowing the lawn, organic lawn care suggests that residuals are left on the lawn where they will decompose naturally and where nutrients such as nitrogen will be absorbed by the soil. In fact, this nitrogen in the cut grass makes up about half of the annual nitrogen requirements of lawns.

In addition, grass residuals left in the lawn encourage earthworm movements underground. They benefit lawn care by ventilating the soil for improved water absorption.

You can also find more info on Garden Lawn Care and Lawn Care Contractor. Lawncare-help.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Lawn Care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner

Global Warming is showing how devastating an effect it can have even on the small business person.Take the lawn care business operator for example. Here is a well established business with many clients, it specializes in mowing and offers a few smaller complimentary services as well. This business has been in operation for more than 15 years.

Near the end of the first decade of the business it had reached the profitable stage where the business generated regular profits of $7000.00 a month during the peak spring and summer months. It is these months that create the cash flow that carries the lawn care business during the slower months of the fall and winter.

This cycle of generating the majority of the businesses income during certain months of the calendar year worked quite well during the first decade of the businesses existence and was quite dependable.

During the next five years of the businesses existence sales generated during those same spring and summer months changed. The sales even with the addition of some new clients fell. The business was still offering the same great service at fair prices and wasn't loosing any of it's customers. So what was happening? Global Warming.

In the last three years of this lawn care business there was little to no rain for those same spring and summer months and a record number of days above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Sales dropped to less than $2000.00 for many of those months.

The business that depends upon outside forces such as weather, understands that there are sometimes changes from year to year in precipitation patterns. It has set aside extra funds to get through the drier years. But what happens when the weather patterns for the area in which this business exists have not showed any signs of returning to the patterns of the previous decade.

The business still has ongoing monetary obligations like any other business that still need to be met, but, still looks to forces beyond its control to provide one of the key ingredients to its success, rain

What is the business to do? Should it close its doors and go bankrupt as its debt toll mounts? Should it diversify further and offer more complimentary services? In an area that water restrictions are in effect during summer months.

For certain shorter periods, there is still a market for this service and existing customers that are depending on this business.

But due to Global warming, the question of there being enough rain (pennies from the sky) for this lawn care business to survive is up in the air.

Greg Baxter owns a Lawn Care Business that has been in operation for more than 15 years. He also operates a website devoted to the improvement of the lawn care industry. To find out more please go to http://your-lawn-care-basics-coach.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Baxter

Every tomato grower has a "secret recipe" for tomato growing success. An integral part of high tomato yield is proper plant nutrition. Plants need food, too! Giving a plant the right food at the right time will not only increase fruit yield, it will also help prevent damage from diseases and pests.

Plant Nutrients

Plants do not eat hamburgers and French fries, but they do still need "nutrients." Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the three nutrients most commonly fed to plants. Most fertilizers are a combination of the three. When reading a fertilizer package, a three number series such as 3-0-3, or 15-10-5, presents the ratio of all three nutrients in the fertilizer. Other nutrients and minerals, in smaller amounts, help tomato plants grow robustly and healthily. Plants get nutrients from the soil in which they are planted, so soil preparation is integral to providing plant nutrients in proper amounts.

To determine which nutrients your garden soil needs to promote healthy plant growth, prepare a soil sample and send it to your local cooperative extension office for analysis. The soil sample will allow you to properly prepare the garden soil and add just enough of each lacking nutrient to grow healthy plants. Another important test is the soil pH. Soil pH affects the way plants are able to take in nutrients. If your soil is too high or too low, you will want to amend the pH by adding mulch (to increase acidity) or lime (to increase alkalinity.)

When to Add Nutrients Tomato plants need nutrients at differing amounts at various stages of growth. After receiving soil test results and before planting tomatoes, work a general fertilizer into the soil. Ratios of 5-10-10 or 8-16-16 are good to start. The soil test results will tell you if you are seriously lacking one nutrient or another.

Once the plant begins growing, different ratios of nutrients promote best growth. Once the plant starts flowering, it needs a higher ratio of potassium.

Soil Composition for Plant Nutrition

Adding fertilizer is only one step to providing plants with proper nutrients and increasing crop yield. Soil composition and structure directly affects tomato plant health. Tomato plants thrive by growing roots deep into the soil. Hard clay soils must be broken and amended with compost to promote healthy root growth. Overly sandy soils need addition of organic matter in order to hold water and nutrients.

Compost for High Fruit Yield

Organic matter is an essential component of soil. Adding proper organic matter will greatly improve soil health, while adding improper organic matter is detrimental to soil. Organic matter can be added by top dressing or double digging. Top dressing with organic works exactly as it sounds-you add organic matter to the top of the soil, almost like a mulch. Double-digging requires digging and removing soil, mixing the organic matter into the soil, and replacing the newly combined soil.

Great organic matters are already composted, or broken down. As wood chips, leaves and other compost breaks down, it uses nitrogen. It is important to add composted organic matter rather than fresh, as fresh matter will remove essential nutrients from the soil. If fresh organic matter is all that is available, be sure to add nitrogen along with the organic matter.

Soil composition is one key to tomato growing success. Structure, pH, and nutrient availability all contribute to plant health. For more detailed information on soil health and how to manage nutrition (including diagnosing nutrient deficiencies), consult a comprehensive tomato growing reference such as How to Grow Tasty Juicy Tomatoes.

If you want more detailed tomato garden advice and tips from a world horticultural expert, visit

http://www.bestjuicytomatoes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Welsford

1. Clean the mower, underside too - Using a hose is the best way to clean your equipment. Avoid using an object to scrape away debris, as this may scratch the surface and lead to rust. A way to reduce build up on the underside of mowers is to spray the underside with cooking spray after it is clean.

2. Change the oil and filter - This you must do! Refer to the owner's manual for your equipment for the correct oil and filter to use.

3. Replace the air filter - This is also a must item! Again, refer to the owner's manual for your equipment for the correct filter or take the old one with you to the store. Remember to clean the filter periodically throughout the season.

4. Sharpen the blade & tighten - If you have the tools, sharpening a mower blade is only a few minutes of your time, if not take it to a shop to have it done. Be sure to tighten the blade when you install it on the mower.

5. Replace the spark plug - Another must do item! Refer to the owner's manual for your equipment for the correct size or take the old one with you to the store. Inspect the spark plug wire while doing this to make certain it is in good condition.

6. Check all belts and replace if worn. Run your hand along the belts to see if they are frayed or cracked. If they are, replace them.

7. Charge the battery and make sure the terminals are tightly connected - Batteries should be stored for the winter, out of the equipment. Be certain the battery is fully charged before putting it back in the equipment. Check the battery cable and terminals to make certain they are in good condition. When installing the battery, be sure you have a tight connection.

8. Drain old gas and start with fresh high quality gasoline Gasoline begins to break down after 30 days, so you want to start the season with fresh gas. Be sure to dispose of the old gas in an environmentally friendly manner.

9. Lubricate all moving parts - Use high quality grease to lubricate all grease points. Use high quality oil to lubricate all other moving parts of your equipment.

On-going maintenance will keep your equipment running smoothly - all season long!

· Always check the oil and make sure the mowing blade is secure before each use.

· Cleaning the air filter, sharpening the blade and lubricating should be done after every 10 hours of use.

This article was written by Beth Comer. Please visit our website for organic/natural lawn care products (http://www.backto-nature.com) or for controlling ground moles visit http://www.moleinator.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Comer

If you like to take care of your garden and if you like it to look at its best all year round, you will know that it takes a lot of time and effort. This is especially true with lawn care and if you want to keep it looking at its best at all times, you will need to ensure that you take care of it throughout the different seasons.

Taking care of your lawn in spring is essential but not overly hard work. There are certain things that you need to do in order to ensure that your lawn stays looking healthy in spring and if you don’t, it could have negative effects on the lawn throughout the year.

The Perfect Spring Lawn Care Routine

A lot of the time, looking after your lawn in spring can save a lot of time and effort in the other months. Now the main things that need doing in spring are watering and fertilizing. However, depending upon how damaged your lawn actually is, it will determine how much work needs to be done before you can fertilize the lawn.

It could be that your lawn needs to be de-thatched or aerated beforehand. By aerating the lawn it helps the water as well as the nutrients that the lawn needs, to soak into the soil a lot more effectively. De-thatching the lawn helps you to remove any dead leaves and grass, as well as dead roots and that helps to keep the lawn looking good and it will help to stop diseases from spreading onto the lawn.

When it actually comes time to apply the fertilizer to the lawn, you should never use a chemical fertilizer. This is because chemical fertilizers leave chemicals on the lawn that can be potentially dangerous to the environment and yourself. It would be a good idea to use a good, organic fertilizer and if you are unsure as to which one to use, take a few lawn soil samples to have them analyzed. The results will come back and you will be told which fertilizer best suits your soils needs.

Overall you can purchase organic fertilizer in all good garden stores. Don’t forget that you should also thoroughly water the lawn to help it to grow properly. You will not need to water the lawn every single day and if you choose to use sprinklers, you should ideally use them between midnight and eight o clock in the morning.

Andrew Caxton contributes editing long articles on lawn care for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A focused website that offers the best articles on lawn mower reviews and landscaping.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Caxton

Many people often wonder why their neighbor has a stronger, healthier, and more beautiful lawn then their own. Chances are the neighbor cares for and maintains (or has a company that actually knows the keys to a great lawn) their lawn better than the person who's lawn might not be so nice and beautiful. Well you are in luck. I know the keys to the strong beautiful lawn that you need to do to have that strong, healthy, beautiful lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood, and I am going to share those keys with you. Along with these keys there are steps that you need to do for the entire lawn care season (typically April 1st-November 1st), like properly watering your lawn but today I am just going to focus on the spring time tips.

The first thing that you will want to do is remove the old dead leafs from last fall if you have not already done so. There are several ways this can be achieved. You can rake the leafs. Another way to remove the old leafs from the lawn is to mow the lawn with a bagger attachment. Always dispose of leafs, and lawn clippings properly for your area. Some areas only accept lawn debris at certain times of the year so check with your city or county to make sure they accept them. You can also put them into a compost area for use in your garden after they break down over a couple years as they make an excellent fertilizer for your garden.

The second step that you will want to do is to roll the lawn. Rolling the lawn is important as it smooths out the ground and removes the bumps making your lawn not only easier but safer to mow. Some think when you roll a lawn you just go one way and your done. It is actually best to roll the lawn front to back, diagonally twice, 2nd time being the opposite diagonal of the previous, then side to side (front to back and side to side can be switched but you want to cross diagonals in the middle of the two).

Next you will want to dethatch your lawn. Dethatching is the process of removing thatch, which is basically the left over dead lawn clippings from your lawn. This process can be done along with step #1 if you rake the lawn. However, when doing it along with cleaning up the leafs you will have to "power rake" (basically meaning put some good strength behind the rake) the lawn. The other way you can do dethatching is to buy a dethatcher for your tractor or contact a lawn care provider that offers the service to do it for you. If you bag your lawn clippings you can generally do this process every couple years.

For this forth step, aeration, I recommend hiring a lawn care provider that offers the service to do it for you as a good aeration machine is quite expensive to purchase, and many of the products targeted for homeowners for aeration simply do not work. Here is a good way to know if know if your aeration product does not work, after you are done there are no "plugs" laying on top of your lawn that were pulled out of the lawn. This step is very important and it is important to do it correctly using the proper machinery because it opens up your lawn for proper air, water and fertilization flow through the ground and to your lawns roots.

This fifth step goes along with step #4 (aeration). This step is called over seeding or re-seeding. This process is just what it sounds like it would be, spreading seed over your current lawn. You want to do this process after doing step #4 and I suggest doing it the same day or day after. Always use a spreader to ensure even distribution of the seeds so the lawn grows in evenly. Also pick a seed that is designed for the area you are seeding (ie. sun, shade, or if you have both find a sun and shade combination mix) and follow the directions on the bag as far as watering your new seeds. You will notice many of the grass seeds suggest using a starter fertilizer to help the seeds grow stronger and better, I do also suggest doing so, however I know there are many people who do not like to use fertilizers for various reasons (kids, pets, environment, ect.). If you are okay with using fertilizers do so about 3-4 weeks (or what your grass seed bag suggests) before aeration and over seeding, but after steps 1, 2 and 3. Also if you are not going to do the fertilization you can combine steps 3, 4 and 5 in their proper order in the same day/ weekend. Remember watering your lawn properly is a very important process that should be maintained season long, and always water new seeds as suggested on the bag of seeds.

The final step for spring is a good thing to do, but not really required. This step is fertilization. You will want to use a weed and feed fertilizer, if you plan on doing this step. If so, check the grass seed bag to see when they say it is okay to use a weed killing fertilizer (generally 1-2 months or longer after the over seeding process). Always use a spreader or hire a professional when fertilizing and carefully follow all warnings and directions on the fertilizer container. I also suggest using gloves, changing clothes when done, wearing an old pair of closed toe shoes, and taking a shower/bath following fertilizer application.

Horton's Lawn Care L.L.C. offers many services to assist you in the proper care, maintenance, and beautification of your lawn including: aeration, detaching, lawn rolling, re-seeding, granular fertilization, lawn mowing, weed whipping, edging, hedge trimming, flower, tree planting, landscaping, spring clean ups, fall clean ups, and snow removal. They currently provide lawn care services in the Genesee County Michigan area primarily in Burton, Davison, Flint, Flushing, Grand Blanc, Swartz Creek. For a Free Estimate call Chris @ (810) 877-9655. http://hortonslawncarellc.services.officelive.com/default.aspx

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_S_Horton

Now that we are in the early stages of spring, there are plenty of things to do to prepare your lawn for the coming weeks. For the month of March, we will focus on several lawn care topics of interest: Compost, Irrigation, and Mowing

Compost

Organic compost is one of the easiest and most environmentally friendly ways to treat your lawn. At this point in the season, you should take great care not to apply any fertilization too early, which can lead to overwhelming growth while the weather is still cold and can cause stress to the turf. However, compost comprised of clippings from mowing your lawn can be gathered together and applied to your lawn later in the month or even at the beginning of April. Besides grass clippings, virtually any organic material can be used for compost.

The two key points when using compost are: 1.) Apply the compost so that it can make its way down into the turf and does not remain on the grass blades 2.) Water your lawn after you've applied compost, to activate the compost microbes and wash them onto your soil.

Irrigation

Have you ever wondered why your neighbor's lawn looks so green all the time while it's a struggle to maintain your own lawn? Perhaps your neighbor has a permanently in-ground irrigation system. Irrigation is key to maintaining a constantly green lawn and can help move your lawn to its greenest potential, especially during the growing season. Irrigation, if done correctly, can help you save time and even conserve water because of the control you have over the amount of water, and when and where your lawn will receive water.

Installing an irrigation system yourself is definitely a doable project if you plan accordingly and acquire the right equipment. However, it will be a lengthy project that can consume several of your weekends, depending on how large your lawn is. For irrigation equipment and drip irrigation supplies, you can either purchase or rent them from any modern hardware store.

If you are unfamiliar with irrigation systems or it will be your first time to install one, the best thing to do would be to contact a professional to guide you through the irrigation system process. A badly installed irrigation system can cost you over the next several years on needed repairs or revisions to the system.

During the planning stages for your irrigation system, it would be a good idea to get some advice from a knowledgeable person on the topic. For high-pressure systems, it is very difficult to plot exact spray patterns. Having a consultant on hand can help you determine specialized sprinklers and emitters for specific lawn needs. The technology of drip irrigation is constantly changing and it would be a good idea to talk to someone who knows the trends.

For March, you should irrigate your lawn about twice a week (unless it has been raining). Lawns are that over-irrigated can be more prone to pests, lawn diseases, or even promote a shallow root system.

Mowing

Once your lawn turns green, it is time to mow. Make sure you have the lawn mower blades set at an appropriate height from 3/4 to 1 inch, keeping in mind that it may vary depending on the type of lawn you have. How often should you mow? For March, mowing your grass once a week should do the trick.

Keep in mind that cutting your grass less than once a week while the grass is actively growing can result in the immediate loss of a large quantity of leaf. This can come as a shock to the grass and may encourage an open turf prone to moss and weeds. Maintaining a consistent mowing schedule is also beneficial.

If you find that your grass has grown tall after coming back from a trip, you should tip it at the first cut and reduce the height at the next cutting a few days later. After that, you can resume your normal and recommended height for cutting.

March is the best time to begin mowing your lawn and by starting now, you can cultivate your lawn and keep the grass blades looking fine.

Fran Phalin is a homeowner and freelance editor/writer on things that work and is based in Austin, Texas. Fran has worked successfully with the guys at ABC to get her lawn care problems resolved.

ABC Pest & Lawn offers a comprehensive solution for lawn care service for you which includes mowing and edging.

Visit ABC at http://www.abcpest.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fran_Phalin

When it comes to caring for your lawn, the use of correct tools helps to make the task in hand a whole lot easier and it can also help you to maintain the look with minimum effort. You do not necessarily need a professional in order to create a healthy and great looking lawn and if you have the right tools then you can do just as good a job yourself.

There is such a massive range of lawn care tools available on the market, which can leave the average gardener absolutely overwhelmed and spoilt for choice. With the selection of tools out there, you should make sure that you have all of the basics and essential equipment needed in order to take care of your lawn.

What Kind of Tools are considered to be Essential?

If you have no equipment whatsoever but you want to take care of your lawn then you should consider getting:-

• A lawnmower with spare blades

• An aerator

• Garden Shears

• A rake

• A spade or garden fork

An aerator is a great piece of equipment because it works by creating holes in the lawn which allow the soil to move a bit more freely. The reason this is a good thing, is because of the fact that it can easily get the nutrients and the water that it needs in order to flourish and to maintain its health.

The benefits of a lawnmower are clear to see as it really helps to keep the grass trim and looking tidy. However it also helps to maintain the health at the same time. You can easily get rid of any dead grass that is on the top of the lawn and this helps to promote new and healthier grass to grow from the bottom.

Something else that will come in extremely handy is a good pair of garden shears, as these can help you to trim the grass and even the hedges too. You can even create patterns out of your hedges with your trimmers, so it all comes down to creativity and personal preference.

If your lawn has a lot of leaves scattered all over it then you can easily get rid of them with the use of a garden rake. The leaves may seem harmless, but they can stop water and sunlight from getting through onto the lawn and they could even end up indirectly killing the grass. That is why it is a good idea to get rid of them as soon as you can and a garden rake is the perfect way to do this.

Andrew Caxton enjoys writing about lawn care for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com You can find more information and resources on case garden tractors at his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Caxton

In the past, natural lawn care techniques involved making use of foul-smelling concoctions. Today, although old systems are still being adopted, new and more acceptable techniques have also been introduced.

Up-to-Date Tips and Techniques in Natural Lawn Care

Try these new techniques in natural lawn care to maximize output and minimize effort:

-Ask local gardening grocers about the sturdiest grass varieties available. You wouldn't want to be bogged down by natural lawn care methods that are too time-consuming, especially if you're doing the lawn maintenance yourself.

-Choose grass varieties that are more resistant to insects and pests and those that have stronger roots.

-Remember to water the grass regularly and drench instead of sprinkle, making sure that it gets at least an inch of water per week. Natural lawn care calls for regular watering – do not give more than an inch of water to compensate for missed watering, as this will not be utilized by the grass. Sprinkling is not recommended for natural lawn care because this develops shallow roots in grass which are more prone to browning.

-Using corn gluten meal for natural lawn care takes about 3 years for it to produce significant effects. Thus, it can leave a few weeds behind. On an average lawn, using corn gluten meal for your natural lawn care will set you back between $40 and $60.

-For optimal natural lawn care results, use the longest setting for lawn mowers. Moreover, wait until your grass is about 3-4 inches high before mowing your lawn.

-Study the recommended timing for every aspect of natural lawn care. For instance, apply pre-emergent herbicides during seasons when the soil temperature ranges from 55-58 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, it will not produce any beneficial effects. When you apply nutrients at the wrong seasons, you will only end up reworking it later on.

- Products that are being developed for natural lawn care are being thoroughly tested in labs and it usually takes a long time for them to be made available in the natural lawn care market. Despite this, they are still more dependable in producing better-looking lawns.

-Even the pace you employ while using your spreader affects the effectiveness of the chemicals used in natural lawn care. If the pace is slow, the products will not be distributed sparingly so you'll need to purchase more to cover the lawn area. Similarly, a very thin application will not yield good results.

-Aim for approximately 2-3.5 pounds of chemicals for every 1000 square feet of lawn.

-Remember to wash your spreader in your yard so as not to put any material to waste. In addition, if the natural lawn care products accidentally spill onto your driveway, just seep them back onto the yard.

You can also find more info on Lawn Care and Garden Lawn Care. Lawncare-help.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Lawn Care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner

Have your shoes turned rusty-orange after walking across the lawn? If so, your lawn is affected by a fungal disease called rust. Rust may appear at any time during the growing season, but is most common during late summer and autumn and is often more severe in shaded areas. It appears during warm, humid, dry periods when the grass is growing slowly or not at all, and nights are cool with heavy dews. Rust is most common on Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass lawns.

There are many different rust fungi (Puccinia spp.; the most common one is P. graminis) that can infect lawn grasses, but they all produce the reddish, yellowish or orange spores that give "rusts" their name. All commonly grown lawn grasses in the Midwest, including bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, are attacked by one or more species of rust fungi. These rust fungi are obligate parasites that only infect living plants, especially grass under stress. The life cycle of these rust fungi is very complex, with numerous types of spores produced and many alternate hosts (mostly woody shrubs and herbaceous ornamentals).

Turf rust is easily identified by the orange pustules on the surface of the leaves. Infected areas of lawn take on a generally yellow appearance with an orangey cast. Initial sites of infection on leaves are light yellow flecks that soon enlarge to form round to elongated pustules that rupture through the grass epidermis to release the powdery spores. Depending on the species, the spores may be red-brown, brownish yellow, bright orange or yellow.

A single pustule may contain 50,000 or more spores, each capable of producing a new infection. The spores easily rub off on shoes, clothing, animals, mowing equipment or other objects that pass through the infected areas and may also be moved around by wind and rain. If a spore lands on susceptible leave tissue and sufficient moisture is present, it will germinate to develop a germ tube that penetrates into the grass leaf to create a new infection. In a week or two, new pustules and spores appear. Several cycles of infection and spore release may occur during summer and fall until it gets too cool for fungal growth. Under certain conditions other types of spores – usually brown to black in color – are produced, some of which infect alternate host plants to produce yet other types of spores that are capable of infecting turfgrass. The fungus may overwinter in the Midwest as dormant mycelium inside grass leaves, but spores blowing in from the southern US are usually the most important source of new infections.

Turf rust rarely kills the grass, but does stress the plants, thinning and weakening the planting. Thin and weak grass is more susceptible to other diseases, winter-kill, and invasion by weeds. Newly seeded lawns are more heavily impacted by rust than are well-established lawns.

Control

There are many grass cultivars that are resistant to rust. Plant rust-resistant grasses, blends, or locally adapted mixtures.  But be aware that resistance to rusts is not universal because there are so many races of the rust fungi – a cultivar that is resistant in one location may be susceptible in another area.

This disease can be reduced by proper fertilization, mowing and irrigation. If you can keep the turfgrass growing vigorously, it will be mowed before spores can be produced. Maintain good vigor through optimum fertilizer applications (based on soil test results) and mow regularly at the height recommended for the type of grass you have. Collect and dispose of infected clippings if possible. Water established lawns deeply and infrequently during periods of drought to keep the grass growing. Try to water early in the day so the lawn will dry out and not have water remaining on the leaf surface for long periods of time, which increases the chances of infection by rust as well as many other diseases. Fungicide applications are generally not recommended for homeowners unless the lawn has been severely infected for several years in a row. The infection eventually disappears when the weather turns cold.

– Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin - Madison

One species of grass that is native to Northern Asia, the mountains of Algeria and Morocco, and most of Europe is Kentucky bluegrass. This kind of grass has become more popular and common in some areas of the United States that are humid and cool. Kentucky bluegrass was transplanted to the United States by the European colonists, who brought along mixtures of grass seed. This type of grass flourished in the area of New England where it was introduced and now you can find it in the other areas of the United States.

In the United States, Kentucky bluegrass is very recognizable due to its boat shaped blade tips. The normal growth of Kentucky blue grass is one and one-half to two feet high, but it varies with the season. The growth of this type of grass is triggered by how long the days are, rather than the temperature.

Before you begin planting Kentucky bluegrass, you need to know that it will take about two to three pounds of seed for each 1,000 square feet of land. You can sow this seed any time during the year, but it will grow better if it is planted in the fall or spring. After you plant the seeds, you need to water it a least twice daily for the first two weeks and if it is extremely warm, then you may need to water it three times a day until it takes root. Once you begin seeing sprouts, you can cut back on the watering regimen.

When you compare Kentucky blue grass to other types of grass, you will learn that Kentucky bluegrass needs as much as two inches of water each week to stay healthy. By watering the Kentucky bluegrass abundantly, you will find that the grass will stay bright and green even during the summer. It is important, however, to water the grass no less than an inch to help make the roots grow deeper and stronger. If you are having a drought, and your grass does dormant, then it will only need about an inch of water every two weeks or so. This amount of watering will help keep the grass crowns alive so that when it rains, the grass will liven up quicker.

Another thing that you need to know about Kentucky bluegrass is that it requires a large amount of Nitrogen. During the first year of the trees life, it will need five or six pounds for the tree to grow strong and tall. You can probably cut back the amount of Nitrogen needed by half after the first year. It is best to use some kind of slow release nitrogen source so that you do not burn the tree and so it is more convenient for you. You will find that it can be applied very liberally in this way and not as frequently, which can save you time and effort.

One of the down sides of Kentucky bluegrass is that it is very susceptible to pests, both crawling and growing. You may also encounter a large weed problem with this type of grass, too. The weeds most common to Kentucky bluegrass include crabgrass, clover, and dandelions. These weeds are usually easily controlled with herbicides that work before the weeds appear. There are also several insects who love to nibble on Kentucky bluegrass. These include white grubs, billbugs, and sod webworms. You need to watch for the insects becoming a problem and apply pesticides when needed. You may also find that the Bluegrass is susceptible to disease. You can prevent disease by adding a strain of Bluegrass that has resistance to disease. If you have alkaline soil, then you can find that your Kentucky bluegrass develops iron chlorosis, which is seen by yellowing in the veins of the grass.

You will find that Kentucky bluegrass is one of the most popular and common types of grass in the whole United States. It is easily recognizable and, if a few simple rules are followed, it is easy to plant and maintain. If you follow the tips above, you will be enjoying your beautiful Kentucky bluegrass in no time.

Andrew Caxton is a journalist who has written more articles and newsletters on the subject for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com A website with tips on gardening at John Deere tractors

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Insects are incredibly adaptable creatures and have evolved to live successfully in most environments on earth, including deserts and even the Antarctic. Insects are generally regarded as bad creatures but they are extremely useful to humans, pollinating our crops as well as flowers in meadows, forests, deserts and other areas. Insects are vital to the immense cycle of life, furnishing food for other creatures and breaking down natural materials to chemicals and nutrients for recycling into new life. Believe it or not, they are the biggest group of animals on earth, and there are more than 800,000 different kinds (or species) of them.

Gardening Tips
The intelligent gardener promotes sustainable gardening that is safe for the local environment. When it becomes necessary to use chemicals to control and eliminate an infestation of destructive garden insects, he considers these pesticides and herbicides to be a tool, and a necessity to protect his plants. Consider putting these beneficial insects to work for you, in your garden and hopefully reduce or eliminate the need for much of the use of insecticides in the home garden. You can also purchase many good bugs at most larger nurseries and garden centres, but you will still want to provide them with suitable plants. After the adults are released into the garden they will immediately seek out mealy bugs and consume them. Once you have made the decision to utilize beneficial insects to help you with your pest control in your garden, keep in mind that insecticides are no longer an appropriate option.

Ants
Ants also protect plants; a species of ant lives on the acacia tree and when these ants smell a mammal, they go on alert ready to sting anything that would take a nibble of a leaf. Ants are social animals and live in colonies, sometimes these colonies may contain only 50 or so individuals, but, one super colony of Formica yessensis on the coast of Japan is reported to have had 1,080,000 queens. Ants construct their nests with mazes of tunnels, galleries and rooms for storing food, laying eggs and raising young. Scientists estimate that 10% of the animal biomass of the world is ants, and another 10% is termites. They are also so important in the breakdown of plant and animal matter, that without them, we would have a world covered with dead plants and animals. By taking a few simple precautions, you can lessen the chances of insects attacking your plants considerably. This also applies to any of your plants that may have been outside for the summer. Examine your plants now and then, don't wait for them to start looking sad.

Good or Bad Ants And Bugs?
Insects are directly beneficial to humans by producing honey, silk, wax, and other products. Good insects are Mother Nature's way of controlling insect pests. Not all insects are pests; in fact, a great many of them are beneficial to man. Insecticides do not only kill pest insects; sometimes many helpful insects are killed too. Find out about how to get rid of ants and bugs in your garden.

Robert Locke is an Internet Marketer specializing in Health and Fitness. Tips For A Super Lawn? Find out more by visiting :- http://www.usfreeads.com/818632-cls.html

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This is perhaps the part about lawn care that causes people to become ill or at least very upset. But let’s face it, the lawn is the great outdoors after all and there will be many creatures that occupy it. The number of insects, rodents, and other creatures will vary depending on where you live. But some common insects and others include:

spiders
bees
flies
mosquitoes
slugs
mice
worms
small snakes
ants
grasshoppers
chipmunks
squirrels
rabbits
deer

While you cannot destroy every living creature that inhabits your yard, you can help keep these creatures from destroying your plants and flowers. Many weed killers are also bug killers. Once you have determined which insects are eating you plants, you should be able to find a chemical solution to the problem.

You should approach some of these insects and small animals with caution, however. Certain species of spider are poisonous, while other insects can cause huge welts to form on your skin if you are not careful. And deer, well, let’s just hope you are never chased down the street by one! Your life flashing before you as you leap onto another person’s porch hoping the deer will keep on going.

Always wear your gloves and do not touch snakes, small rodents, and other animals. You could run the risk of spending your Saturday afternoon in the emergency room instead of tending to your lawn.

In order to reduce the number of insects on your lawn, you should:

• rake the leaves during the fall and spring and get rid of the piles immediately
• clean gutters often
• clean overhangs, porch railings, and lawn furniture
• replenish mulch each year
• mow the lawn when it needs it

These simple housekeeping tips will help you keep your lawn neat and clean while reducing the number of insects. Planting herbs such as rosemary and basil will help reduce the number of mosquitoes. Marigolds will help keep certain types of beetles away as well.

But some insects are good for your lawn. Help them stick around by planting Dogwood, butterfly weed, and Queen Anne’s lace. These plants will also attract butterflies and wild birds to your lawn.

While you cannot always pick your neighbours, you do have a little control over other types of pests. By planting flowers and plants strategically around your lawn, you will not only keep insects at bay, you will also enhance your lawn’s beauty.

Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of "Your Perfect Lawn," a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com

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Innovative biologists and chemists have made it much easier to control the pests in your garden and there are now a dozen safe ways to control damaging insects.

First of all you need to identify what kind of insects you have or are likely to get. There are plenty of common species, but only a few of these do any significant harm in a given area – and there are a number of ways to identify them.

Check plant leaves, flowers and shrubs and match any you don’t recognize against photos you can find on the Internet. Look for information on any particular plants that you're concerned over and you shouldn’t have any trouble identifying the most common pests. Often that information will contain a photo you can use for comparison.

A lot of the insects on flowers, trees, grass and other plants are hidden and you may have to rely on guesswork and apply general methods that are used to control common invasive species. Aphids are often found on rose bushes, for example but may be difficult to spot. Grass often has grub infestations that is not visible to the eye and can only be detected by looking underneath the soil.

Another method is to examine any effects you might see

Grass with round, brown spots, especially in late Spring through Summer may mean you have a Japanese Beetle grub problem. Double check your guesswork with other methods if you find that patches of grass come away from the soil easily like carpet with loose tacks then you may have a grub problem.

Eliminating insects and grubs that are causing problems is usually safe, cheap and easy especially with modern control methods. This doesn’t mean you have to purchase and spray large areas with chemicals, although most of them are said to be safe for both humans and the environment.

Instead of using grub killing fertilizer or insecticide use biological control methods. These are considered to be more organic and are becoming more popular and effective all the time. A substance called 'milky spores' can be a very cost effective way to control grubs in lawns.

Biological control may be more expensive than a bag of grub insecticide to start with. A 30lb bag of grub killer may cost $10 and last two years where a 1-liter bottle of milky spores may be $30 or more, but it lasts for 10 years. This works well because it is a natural compound which contains living organisms that invade the grub larvae and interrupts their growth cycle. In effect, you have one organism killing another. The spores are harmless to your lawn as they only act on the grub.

There are other control methods like the one above each meant to solve a particular problem. This is because organisms are particular about which insects they will invade and when. These methods are safe, cost effective and many are last longer than other, chemical methods.

You can use chemical insecticides if you really need to do so. Modern insecticides are much more sophisticated, and decay safely and quickly into harmless byproducts without harming the environment. They also do the job before they decay.

Lee Dobbins writes for Backyard Garden where you can learn more about gardening and landscaping as well as different types of garden pest control.

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